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Sifuna: I offered Oburu chance to pick new ODM’s SG after Raila’s death

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The embattled Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has opened up on his fallout with party leader Oburu Odinga, saying he once offered to resign to avoid tensions at the outfit’s top brass following Raila Odinga’s death.

The revelation comes amid the frost and murky fiasco in the Orange party, with the future of Sifuna uncertain even as his Linda Mwananchi-an anti-broad-based faction continues to gain more popularity, buckling up for the 2027 polls.

Amid jostle and legal battle over the SG seat, ODM has defended its internal disciplinary process of members accused of misconduct, urging a tribunal to step back as Sifuna seeks urgent intervention to block his removal as secretary-general.

Appearing before the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) on Monday, April 20, 2026, the party’s advocates argued that the dispute should be resolved within its structures, insisting the ongoing process is lawful and already in motion.

ODM told the tribunal that after its earlier ruling shielding the SG from ouster, Sifuna went on to convene a parallel and rival national conference, which it cited as part of the grounds that informed the decision to subject him to disciplinary proceedings.

“We have placed before this Tribunal evidence that after your ruling, the complainant convened a parallel and rival conference, conduct that goes directly to the disciplinary concerns now under process,” ODM submitted.

Sifuna, through Senior Counsel Isaac Okero, approached the tribunal early April seeking to halt the implementation of a February 11, 2026, resolution and stop any disciplinary proceedings arising from a notice to show cause issued earlier this month.

However, now, speaking in an interview on a local TV station on Thursday, April 30, 2026, the Nairobi Senator revealed the dispute is rooted in the party’s constitution and internal rules, arguing that the leadership must operate within established structures.

“The biggest interest is not for Sifuna to be SG, but for the party to progress because what I said at Raila’s burial is what I believe in. I was prepared to give Oburu a letter and say, ‘Let me allow you to pick an SG,” he stated.

Sifuna recalled a meeting at ODM headquarters, Chungwa House, where he said he confronted Oburu over public remarks calling for his removal, linking the tensions to a past stormy ODM meeting in Kakamega, saying he was initially the target of heckling but the plan backfired, and later Oburu publicly suggested he could be kicked out of the party.

Sifuna said he told Oburu that the relationship between the party leader and the secretary general is intimate and could not work if there were unresolved tensions.

But Oburu assured him he had not organised the Kakamega incident, and called for them to work together through the transition period.

Sifuna added that he offered to hand in a resignation letter if Oburu still felt uncomfortable with him staying on as secretary general, saying his priority was the stability and progress of the party rather than holding office.

Sifuna-Oburu tiff

He said ODM remains one of Raila’s biggest political legacies and must outlive individual leaders, insisting that the party should be strengthened and remain perpetual.

“I believe that ODM is one of Raila’s big legacies as a person who believed in multiparty democracy and actually fought for it. He believed that political parties need to be strengthened; they need to be perpetual, the party needs to survive for all of us,” the Linda Mwananchi bigwig said.

Moreover, Sifuna has drawn a clear distinction between the leadership style of Oburu and Raila, arguing that the Orange outfit’s leaders and supporters were accustomed to a more consultative approach.

He said that although he respects Oburu, his leadership style in managing party activities is different from that to which ODM members were accustomed under Raila.

“Raila Odinga was something else; we did not expect that Oburu would be like Raila Odinga. He actually gets upset when we say, by the way, Baba would have done this. Sisi tuliharibiwa na Baba because he had a style of doing things,” Sifuna stated.

“Baba used to consult widely, and he used to explain things. I have nothing but respect for Dr Oburu, but he has a different way of doing things. We don’t begrudge him; we were just used to something else.”-PeopleDaily.digital.

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National Assembly dismisses claims Sacco Bill is being rushed through Parliament

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The National Assembly has dismissed reports that the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025, is being rushed through Parliament, saying the proposed law is still undergoing public participation.

Through infographics shared on Facebook on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Parliament said misleading information had been circulating online about the Bill, formally known as the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill No. 32 of 2025.

Bill was published in June 2025

The National Assembly said the Bill was published on June 30, 2025, and had remained under consideration for more than 12 months.

It rejected suggestions that lawmakers were fast-tracking the proposed amendments without allowing enough time for scrutiny.

According to Parliament, the lengthy period between the publication of the Bill and its current consideration shows that it is not being rushed.

Bill currently before the National Assembly committee

The Sacco Societies Amendment Bill is currently before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.

The committee is conducting public participation and receiving views from members of the public and other stakeholders.

The submissions are expected to help the committee assess the proposed amendments before presenting its recommendations to the National Assembly.

What happens after public participation?

After the public participation process is concluded, the committee will prepare a report containing its findings and recommendations.

Parliament said the views submitted by members of the public and stakeholders could inform further amendments to the Bill.

The proposed legislation will then proceed to the National Assembly for consideration by MPs.

This means the Bill has not yet completed the legislative process and could still be amended based on the submissions received during public participation.

Bill will be forwarded to Senate

The National Assembly also clarified that the Bill will not proceed directly for presidential assent after being passed by MPs.

Because the proposed legislation concerns county governments, it will be forwarded to the Senate for consideration in accordance with the Constitution.

The Senate will be required to consider the Bill before it can complete the parliamentary process and be presented for presidential assent.

Parliament urged members of the public to rely on verified information about the Sacco Societies Amendment Bill instead of unconfirmed reports circulating online-PeopleDaily.Digital.

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Digital house-hunting platform bets on technology to reshape Nairobi’s rental market

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NAIROBI, Kenya, July 14 – A growing shift towards digital property searches is changing how Kenyans find rental homes, with real estate technology platform Reemio positioning itself as a solution to longstanding challenges.

This included fraudulent listings, costly house searches and limited market transparency.

As younger, tech-savvy consumers turn to online platforms to make purchasing decisions, the company says digitizing the rental process could improve efficiency for both tenants and landlords while lowering transaction costs.

“Our niche is to solve the problem of house hunting and also bring trust into that process. We use technology to connect renters and landlords,” said Kimani.

Kimani said the platform seeks to address inefficiencies that have traditionally made house hunting expensive and time-consuming.

Instead of physically visiting multiple properties, users can browse verified listings, take virtual tours, compare amenities and access information on additional costs such as water charges, electricity bills and service fees before scheduling physical viewings.

Beyond improving convenience for tenants, Reemio argues that technology can help landlords reduce marketing costs, shorten vacancy periods and reach a wider pool of prospective tenants, including Kenyans living abroad.

The company says its platform also generates market data that can help property owners and developers better understand evolving consumer preferences, although its long-term impact will depend on wider adoption of digital property platforms and continued investment in trustworthy online real estate marketplaces-Capitalfm.co.ke.

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ORPP edges two parties closer to joining Kenya’s political arena

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The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has issued a notice for the provisional registration of two proposed political parties, opening a seven-day window for members of the public to lodge objections.

In a notice published by the Registrar of Political Parties and Chief Executive Officer J.C. Lorionokou, the ORPP announced that the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) and the People’s Alternative Voice (PAV) are in the process of being provisionally registered under Section 5(2)(a) of the Political Parties Act.

The ORPP, a State office established under Section 33 of the Political Parties Act and Article 260 of the Constitution, said its mandate includes registering and regulating political parties as well as administering the Political Parties Fund.

According to the notice, the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) has adopted pink, white and sky blue as its official party colours, with the slogan “Change – Mageuzi.” The party’s symbol is the acronym SDP enclosed inside a circle.

The party’s listed founder members are Nyangong’ Duncan Nyumbah, Omwandasi Jared Dishon and Kinyua Mary Wacuka.

The founders of PAV are listed as Odenyo John Fitzgerald Elly, Nyando Rachel Mmboga and Ali Hussein Kiplangat.

The Registrar said particulars of the two proposed political parties have been published on the ORPP website to facilitate public scrutiny as required by law.

Any person wishing to oppose the provisional registration of either party has seven days from the date of publication of the notice to submit objections either in writing or in person to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties at Lion Place, Fourth Floor, Waiyaki Way at Karuna Close, Nairobi.

The provisional registration marks the first step in the legal process of establishing a political party in Kenya.

Kenya has 91 fully registered political parties. The ORPP’s updated register indicates that, as of January 2026, there were 91 parties that had met the legal requirements for full registration under the Political Parties Act-STAR.

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